The Hudson County Sheriff’s Office has announce “a zero-tolerance policy” for price gouging, with violators being issued fines up to $10,000 as consumers stock up on goods with COVID-19 cases and concerns increasing.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari and the Office of Weights and Measures will be out aggressively enforcing a zero tolerance policy to prevent businesses from price gouging during the COVID-19 outbreak, they announced this afternoon.
“The hard working men and women from the Hudson County Office of Weights and Measures will be out in full force to ensure that no business is able to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to raise prices on essential items,†Schillari said in a statement.
“We are aggressively investigating every single report of price gouging that we are notified of and holding those individuals in violations of the law accountable to the fullest extent. My office is working around the clock to keep residents safe from consumer fraud and we will continue to be on the front lines of all calls for service we receive.â€
Businesses that are caught trying to take advantage of residents in the middle of this national health crisis will be issued a fine of up to $10,000 per infraction.
Residents who believe local businesses are excessively raising prices should contact the Hudson County Office of Weights and Measures at 201-369-4323 extension 7305.
All reports can be kept confidential.
Jersey City police, along with the municipal prosecutor’s office, have already begun issuing big fines for price gouging on the local level.
Currently, Hudson County’s total of announced positive coronavirus cases is up to seven: three in Hoboken, three in Jersey City, and one in West New York.
No other municipalities have released any information regarding new patients as of this writing.
